The arraignment of suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan on defamation charges against Godswill Akpabio and Yahaya Bello was stalled by the JUSUN strike, but a new date is awaited as the strike has been called off

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he planned arraignment of the suspended Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, was stalled on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, due to the strike embarked upon by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN).

Also read: Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to face Federal Government charges in court on Tuesday

The strike, which commenced on Monday, June 2, had led to the closure of most courts across the country, including all Federal Capital Territory (FCT) high courts.

Akpoti-Uduaghan was scheduled to be arraigned before the FCT High Court over a criminal charge filed by the Federal Government.

The charge alleges that she made defamatory statements against the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and a former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello.

According to the charge, marked CR/297/25, Akpoti-Uduaghan is accused of making criminal imputations during a live broadcast and a private phone conversation, which allegedly defamed Akpabio and Bello.

One of the central allegations highlighted in the charge is a statement Akpoti-Uduaghan made on Channels TV’s “Politics Today” programme on April 3, 2025.

It was part of the meeting, the discussions that Akpabio had with Yahaya Bello that night—to eliminate me… He then emphasised that I should be killed in Kogi.

During the broadcast, she allegedly claimed that both Akpabio and Bello discussed plans to assassinate her.

The charge quoted her as saying, “It was part of the meeting, the discussions that Akpabio had with Yahaya Bello that night—to eliminate me… He then emphasised that I should be killed in Kogi.”

In another instance, dated March 27, 2025, the government claimed the senator told a woman named Dr. Sandra Duru during a phone call that Akpabio was linked to the organ harvesting of the late Iniubong Umoren for his ailing wife.

The Federal Government has charged the suspended senator under sections 391 and 392 of the Penal Code, which deal with defamation and criminal harm to reputation.

Her lawyer, West Idahosa (SAN), had previously confirmed to The PUNCH that his client was prepared to appear in court to answer the summons.

He stated, “Our client is a law-abiding citizen. Why wouldn’t she be there? It’s a summons we have undertaken. Only disrespectful institutions that disregard court orders would fail to appear, and she is not in that category.”